Maritime education and recruitment portal

PROFESSIONS ONBOARD A SHIP

DECK OFFICERS

Master Mariner (STCW II/2)

The master is the head of the ship and is also called the captain. The master is in charge of the operation of the entire ship and is responsible for its crew, cargo, seaworthiness and official administration.

Chief mate (STCW II/2)

The duties of the chief mate is to plan, control and manage the ship’s
internal activity. The work covers loading and discharging operations,
maintaining of the ship and its seaworthiness. The chief mate also
normally conducts navigational watches.

Watchkeeping officer (STCW II/1)

At sea, the watchkeeping officer is in charge of the navgational watch and is responsible for the ship’s safe navigation. The officer is also in charge of the maritime radio traffic during the watches. In port, the watchkeeping officer prepares on the bridge
the ship for next navigational voyage. The watchkeeping officers can also be responsible for the pharmacy, medical care and first aid onboard or the ship’s safety routines and equipment.

ENGINEER OFFICERS

Chief engineer (STCW III/2)

The chief engineer is responsible for the operation of the ship’s technical and
mechanical equipment and machinery. The chief engineer functions as a link between
the deck officers and work management onboard and ashore as well as between the
shipowner and the hardware suppliers. The chief engineer is the ship’s fire chief
and responsible for the fire-fighting and safety onboard, he or she is often also
responsible for the occupational safety.

Second engineer (STCW III/2)

The second engineer is responsible for the operation of the ship and often functions as the foreman in the engine-room. As the foreman of the engine department, the second engineer is responsible for the maintenance and care of machinery and equipment.

Watchkeeping engineers (STCW III/1)

The second and third engineers see to the ship’s care and maintenance and
run the engine watch as chiefs at sea. The increasing significance of
environmental protection is reflected on the engineers’ task list.

Electro-technical officer (STCW III/6)

The electro-technical officer is responsible for the ship’s electricity production
system and supervises, maintains and repairs related electrical devices.

RATINGS (CREW)

Watchkeeping rating, deck and/or engine (STCW II/4 and/or STCW III/4)

A career onboard a ship as a member of the operating crew normally begins as a watchkeeping rating. The main tasks of the watchkeeping rating are depending on the department (deck or engine), but consist mainly of forming a part of a watch on the bridge or in the engine-room. Up on the bridge the watchkeeping rating performs the part of the watch as a lookout and down in the manned or periodically unmanned engine-room as a watchkeeper of gauges, other instruments, temperatures, fire alarms etc. Other work assigned to the watchkeeping rating is partly based on his/hers experience. The CoC as a watchkeeping rating is during the first year of studies.

Able Seafarer, deck (STCW II/5)

The able seafarer (also called AB) serves partly as the lookout and helmsman at the bridge. Normally the able seafarer deck is more experienced than the watchkeeping rating and is given more complicated/advanced tasks. He or she can also serve as the ship’s handyman and participates mainly in the maintenance and the repairs of the ship.interview

Able seafarer, engine (STCW III/5)

The able seafarer engine (also called a motorman) usually work as a daytime
worker in the engine department. The tasks mainly include repair, maintenance, bunkering etc. As for the AB, the motorman is more experienced than the watchkeeping rating and is given tasks based on this experience. The motormen and repairmen also participate occasionally in work on deck, e.g. mooring operations.

Bosun (STCW II/5 – only national CoC and position)

The bosun is the head of the deck ratings and is the most experienced and skilled deck rating onboard. The bosun discusses and plans the maintenance of the ship together with the first mate. He or she delegates and hands out the daily tasks to the rest of the deck ratings and also supervises the job.

Repairman (STCW III/5 – only a national CoC and position)

The repairman is often the most experienced engine rating onboard. The repairman applies the versatile professional and manual skills needed at sea. The repairman and the bosun have the same kind of education The duties of the repairman include servicing of and repairing machinery and equipment on the deck and in the engine room.

Ship’s electrician (STCW A-III/7)

The duties of a ship electrician include the care, maintenance and repair
of the ship’s electricity system.

GALLEY CREW

Cook Steward

The cook steward is responsible for the ordering of provisions and preparation of food and meals onboard. He or she is more experienced than the cook and the functions as the head of the galley department onboard cargo ships, this also normally includes the mess room(s) as well.

Ship’s Cook

The ship’s cook works in the galley as the cook steward, he or she is below the cook steward in rank. Onboard smaller cargo ships where the crew consists of nine (9) persons or less, the cook has the same responsibilities as the cook steward.

Galley Assistant

The galley assistant assists the cook steward and/or the cook with all sorts of tasks within the galley department.

The number of the galley crew is dependent on the size of the ship and the crew.